Daily Aspirin Latest

2012-01-30

By: Libby Znaimer

Here’s the latest in the debate about whether to take an Aspirin a day to stave off heart disease. The Canadian Cardiovascular Society has published clear guidelines for the first time because it says too few patients who could benefit are taking ASA, while too many are taking it inappropriately.

So here’s what they say: Everyone who has had a heart attack or stroke should take low-dose ASA for life because it can reduce the risk of deadly recurrence by up to 25 per cent.

But people who have no history of cardiovascular disease should not take it regularly because there is no evidence the benefits outweigh the risks.

One more thing, people who do take ASA for their heart problems should be careful about using other painkillers such as ibuprofen, because they interfere with Aspirin’s ability to prevent clotting.